Medium Diaphragm Condensor Mics?

[EddieRay]

I saw a reference to "medium" sized diaphragm condensor mics in the FAQ. But I never see them talked about here nor do I see them advertised as such at the gear websites.

Who makes them? What are they good for? What are some example models?

 

[Herm]

Shure Ksm32. Great mic

 

[SHEPPARDB.]

I have a CAD equitech 100 m.d.c. and have found many uses for it.
I like to use one mxl 603(12th fret)and hang the cad over my picking hand shoulder for acoustic guitar.One of the best elec-
tric guitar sounds i have gotten so far(recorded)was a shure 57
on the grill of the amp and center of the speaker,and the cad about 2 feet back and about 6 inches above the speaker.I also
find the cad well suited to some vocalist.

 

[chessrock]

Medium diaphragm condensers tend to be pretty versatile.

 

[Rocket Boy]

the AKG C2000b

 

[fenix]

Audio Technica 4033

 

[DigitMus]

Peavey PVM T9000 a medium diaphragm tube mic.

 

[DJL]

And the Rode NT3 has a medium sized diaphragm too.

 

[Track Rat]

The AT 4033 at around 3/4" is a dandy medium sized diaphram mic.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Medium sized diaphragm mics tend to be Swiss Army mics. You can use them on vocals, percussion, acoustic guitars, strings, brass, overheads, just about anything. I am fond of several of the mics listed above, especially AKG C2000B, AT4033, and KSM32. I find that they are good when traveling with a portable studio, because I only get a very few mics. Also, these mics are what you put up when you need a condenser, but the one you'd prefer is already being used for something else. Thay are also the mics I put up when nothing else is working. AKG C2000B was used extensively on my current project for backing vocals, toms, and hand percussion.-Richie

 

[EddieRay]

Thanks for the great info. So it looks like SDCs are front-address and LDCs are side-address, but MDCs could be either.

I don't have a pair of condensors and would like acquire a couple for stereo recordings of live gigs, acoustic and nylon string guitar, drums maybe... and after watching the forums around here I think I'll go for the MXL603s rather than MC012s. They'd give me greater flexibility, ya think?

 

[DJL]

Thanks for the great info. So it looks like SDCs are front-address and LDCs are side-address, but MDCs could be either.

Not always.

I don't have a pair of condensors and would like acquire a couple for stereo recordings of live gigs, acoustic and nylon string guitar, drums maybe... and after watching the forums around here I think I'll go for the MXL603s rather than MC012s. They'd give me greater flexibility, ya think? [/B]

If you mean live as in a XY stereo pair I'd recommend a pair of Shure SM81's.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Actually, just the reverse, the Oktavas offer more flexibility because of their pads, and available omni and hypercardioid capsules. I can state for sure that they work very well for live remote X-Y stereo recording. There have been times, especially with loud bands, where those pads have come in very handy.-Richie

 

[DJL]

Humm, well I have a pair of Oktava MC-012's... but, I like the Shure SM81's for live events better.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Well, DJL, if I want clean I use C-4's, but in a bar full of drunks, I prefer the Oktavas. Replacement cost is lower. I'm sure SM-81's work just fine, but he asked about the Oktavas vs. MXL 603's.-Richie

 

[DJL]

Well Richard, I prefer the Shure SM81's over the Oktava MC-012's and the Marshall MXL603S's for this type of recording because the Shure SM81's are more accurate and I don't have to dick around with the fine threading of the Oktavas and etc. By-the-way, I do about 4 or 5 of these type of live recording a month.

 

[EddieRay]

Well, while I would really like a pair of SM81's, they're over $300 apiece new. I'd like to acquire a pair of versatile, low-cost condensors. I have none right now and I'd like to fill that capability gap soon.

I also figure once I have basic capabilities in hand I can start adding higher quality gear. I can only use gig income for this so the hard part will be sticking with the plan.

With that in mind, I don't see any reason to have both a pair of MC012s AND MXL603s. Do you?

 

[Track Rat]

I'd stick with the 012's and get the three different capsules (cardiod, hypercardiod and omni).

 

[DJL]

With that in mind, I don't see any reason to have both a pair of MC012s AND MXL603s. Do you?

Well, with that in mind... no, not really. The MC-012's are a tad darker sounding than the MXL603S's, and for what you want to do I'd get the Marshall MXL603SPR.